Ah, the big question that every coach has as he approaches a new season, how will the team look this year ?
If you follow hockey and the Montreal Canadians, you will assuredly know about the significant changes that the team went through with one major trade (Higgins for Gomez) and the signing of 6 free agents. This in conjunction with the players that left as free agents (Koivu, Kovalev, Komisarek to name a few) and this year's team will be quite different in style of play and identity (like who is going to be the captain ?) Why do I speak about the Canadians ? Well like them, the 2009 Stingers will show a certain amount of turnover from last year's squad. We are looking at anywhere from 9 to 12 potential new players on the team from the squad that suited up in the fall. If you have followed any of the soccer news on the Stingers website (or read some of my older blogs), you will know that we have 4 players who have signed Letters of Intent to Concordia so one can assume they 4 will be part of the roster. After that, we have another new player who participated with the team during the indoor season and will make solid contribution to the squad. Then beyond those 5, a number of spots will be open to competition during training camp. Like the Canadians, we will lose a few veteran players who have contributed in the past but luckily we retain a solid core that should all things being equal, be that much stronger this fall. With the influx of new players, the coaching staff is evaluating what system and style of play we will incorporate this fall and there are a few interesting options. Regardless of which style we adopt, there are going to be a number of starting positions up for grab and it will really come down to which players really step up and earn the positions. The main focus we primarly be on the offensive side of things. While there might be one starting spot available in the back and our midfield being fairly set, it is at the forward position where we are really going to be looking for options. From last year's group, we have lost 2 of the top forward statistically speaking and a 3rd is undecided about returning due to academic concerns, so this is an area where we are looking to the new players for options. We are also considering playing a 4-3-3 which would mean that the change of shape will required forwards who can adapt quickly to a new style. The other reality for our season is that coming off a season of 1 win and 2 ties, the obvious assumption we would like to make is that it can't get worse and there is tons of room for improvement. How much improvement and how competitive we can be this year vs. future years will also determine some of the choices we make for the team, for starting positions and playing time. Do we go with a younger team who can show improved results this fall but more importantly gain valuable experience which can helps us challenge for top spots down the road - or - do we count of more experienced players to get us as many points as possible and let the newer players learn on the fly watching and via practices? All these are interesting questions and questions that as a coach you can't help but enjoy... I woudl rather have to make tough choices than that have any at all.
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AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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